Social Media Management

Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.22.026760

I note you seek access to the following information:

I would be most grateful if you would provide me the information requested below.

The details we require are:

1. Who is your social media management and monitoring tool supplier?

2. Start date & duration of framework/contract with supplier

3. Actual spend on this contract/framework (and any sub lots), from the start of the contract to the current date

4. Who is the senior officer (outside of procurement) responsible for this contract?

Decision

I have today decided to disclose some of the requested information. Some data has been withheld as it is exempt from disclosure and therefore this response serves as a Refusal Notice under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) by virtue of the following exemptions:

Reason for decision

Q3 - Actual spend on this contract/framework (and any sub lots), from the start of the contract to the current date

Section 43(2) of the Act allows a public authority to withhold information if a person's commercial interests would be compromised by its release. (A 'person' may be an individual, a company, public authority itself or any other legal entity.)

Section 43(2) of the Commercial Interests - Any information released under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 is considered to be public disclosure as that information is also published on the MPS website and available to the general public.

I have considered the potential harm that could be caused by disclosure. In this case disclosing answers to question 3 could result in the MPS attracting less favourable deals from companies in the future if they believe such details would be made public. Furthermore it may impact on the commercial interests of the supplier as they may be expected to provide the same product/s at similar costs to other companies.

Disclosure of the requested information would prejudice the commercial interests of the MPS because the disclosure of this information, would set a 'benchmark' which potential service providers could use to compare their proposed responses to. This would therefore have a negative impact on the competitive nature of the tendering process. There is a public interest in ensuring that companies are able to compete fairly. Disclosing the information could also provide competitors with an unfair advantage. Full disclosure would weaken the position of the MPS in a competitive environment by revealing market-sensitive information. This would have a harmful effect on future partnerships when entering into commercial activities.

Disclosure

Q1 - Who is your social media management and monitoring tool supplier?

Hootsuite Inc.

Q2 - Start date & duration of framework/contract with supplier

13 July 2018. Renewed on an annual basis.

Q4 - Who is the senior officer (outside of procurement) responsible for this contract?

Head of Applications for Corporate & Professionalism, Service Delivery, Digital Policing.